Marthanda Varma of Travancore: Forgotten King who crushed the Dutch and Coins

  

After the Turks, the Europeans took the charge of invading our country, this time via sea routes. From the 16th century European powerhouses like Portuguese, French, Spain, British and Dutch started to establish their factories across India. One of them was the Dutch who wanted to control trade of Kerela region. But their dreams were shattered when the young King of Travancore crushed them in the Battle of Colachel in 1741. His name was Marthanda Varma.

Marthanda Varma was the founding monarch of the southern Indian Kingdom of Travancore (previously Venadu) from 1729 (when he was 24 years old), until his death in 1758. He was succeeded by Rama Varma.  He adopted a European mode of discipline for his army and expanded his kingdom northwards, to what became the later State of Travancore. He built an army of 50,000 Nair men and designed a well-organized war machine. His alliance in 1757 with the ruler of Kochi (Cochin) against the northern Kingdom of Calicut, enabled the kingdom of Kochi to survive.

                         

    One Kalyinam Fanam, Marthanda Varma, gold, 

                     

                              Marthanda Varma.

Travancore under Marthanda Varma made a deliberate attempt to consolidate its power by the use of Indian Ocean Trade. There was European monopoly in Indian Ocean spice trade. The constant Dutch blockade of Malabar Coast was very normal. He wanted to change this system. 

                        

               A map of Malabar Coast in 1733.

Marthanda Varma's reign was one of constant warfare, against opponents both inside and outside is territory.  He realized that Dutch power in Kerala stemmed from their flourishing spice trade at the port of Kochi. He set out to conquer the major spice producing areas supplying cargo to Kochi. 

                        

The logo of the Amsterdam Chamber of The Dutch East India Company

During a visit to Cochin in 1739, the Dutch Governor of Ceylon, Gustaff Willem Van, made an attempt to discuss and offer his terms to Varma to put an end to his expansionist policy including the Malabar Kingdoms. But Marthanda Varma refused to agree on any terms, which was a trigger to the Battle of Colachel in 1741.

In 1741, a Dutch artillery force landed at Colachel from Ceylon and captured up to Kottar and advanced against Kakulam, Travancore's capital supported by strong artillery. In the following battle, the Travancore forces won a resounding victory over the Dutch and resulted in total carnage for the invader. 

This was the first time a major European power was decisively defeated in Asia. 

The enemy surrendered on August 14, 1741. It is also believed that the Dutch never recovered from this defeat and the empire soon started declining after it. 

                         

Eustachius De Lannoy surrendering to Raja Marthanda Varma at the battle of Colachel, August 1741

                       

Victory Pillar, in remembrance of the victory against the Dutch in 1741, near the coast of Colachel.

                          

 

De Lannoy, a Captain, who was captured in the battle subsequently earned the trust of the king, who made him an officer in the Travancore military. He later trained the Travancore Army and in due course of time became a valiant and successful commander of the same army that had defeated the Dutch forces. He modernized the army by introducing firearms and artillery.  After declaring a state monopoly on pepper in Travancore in 1743, between then and 1752, the king annexed Quilon, Kayamkulam, Thekkumkur and Purakkad to Travancore, thereby delivering a serious blow to the commerce of the Dutch. Eventually, Travancore challenged and broke the Dutch blockade of the Kerala coast.

                        

De Lannoy's Tomb at Udayagiri Fort, on Kanyakumari-Trivandrum highway.

Travancore became a prominent city in Kerala under Marthanda Varma. He undertook many developments during his reign. In January 1750, he decided to ''donate'' his kingdom to the last Tiruvadi Sri Padmanabha (family deity) and rule as the deity's ''vice-regent''. His policies were continued in a large measure by his successor Rama Varma.

                       

Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram

Coins of Marthanda Varma

                         

Thirunal Marthanda Varma, gold Kaliyan, weight 0.4 gm, Dia 9 mm, Obverse: stylized depiction of Vishnupadam (feet of Lord Vishnu), Reverse: 12 pellets (signifying the 12 zodiac signs), lines and a dot below.

                         

Thirunal Marthanda Varma, One Chuckram, silver, weight 0.3 gm, Dia 7mm, Obverse: Crescent with diamond above and two curved lines and ten pellets below, the curved lines and pellets are a depiction of Vishnupadam (fleet of Lord Vishnu,), Reverse: 12 pellets above a crescent representing the Rashi (12 signs of the zodiac). 

                         

Marthanda Varma, Silver Veli Chukram (5 coins), 1729-1758 AD, Obverse: Large crescent above Vaishnavee symbol, Reverse: Twelve pellets within curve.

                          

Marthanda Varma, Chukram, silver, weight 0.3 gm, Dia 6.2 mm, Obverse: stylized depiction of Vishnupadam, Reverse:  dots above a crescent visible.

                            

Marthanda Varma, 1729-1758 AD, Chuckram, weight 0.3 gm, Dia 6.3 mm, Obverse: Crescent with diamond above and two curved lines and ten pellets below (depiction of Vishnupadam, feet of Lord Vishnu, Reverse: 12 pellets above a crescent representing the 12 signs of zodiac. 

                         

Marthanda Varma, One Kaliyan Fanam, gold, weight 0.3 gm, Dia 8 mm, Obverse: Crescent with diamond, flanked by two beads above and two curved lines with ten pellets below (signifying toes), Reverse: 12 pellets (depicting zodiac signs), lines and a dot below.

                           

Two Fanams, gold, weight 0.3 gm, a coin issued in 1758, the year Rama Varma took over, Obverse: Design evolved from Kaliyan Fanam, large crescent above Vishnu Padam (feet of Lord Vishnu) represented by two curved lines and 10 pellets for toes, Reverse: 12 pellets considered to represent 12 Rashis (zodiac signs), lines and dots below.

 

                          

9 Madras (Travancore), Tri-centenary celebrations postage stamp depicting the Battle and the victory pillar.  

                         

   

Marthanda Varma

Battle of Colachel

Eustachius De Lannoy
    

Severed Heads in Hands on Roman Coins

 

Roman culture is often said to have been uncaring and often ruthless. Perhaps this is depicted by some coins that exhibit deities or personifications holding severed heads in their hands. Or is there a symbolic interpretation.

                                      

Billon follis of Constantine the Great, Caesar 293-306 AD, Antioch mint, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over shoulder, holding head of Sol in right hand.                                    

The first coin, shown below, issued by M. Serigius Silus, is a depiction of an actual historic scene. The coin is of 116- 115 BCE and celebrates the father of the moneyer, a fierce fighter whose artificial right hand and many wounds did not prevent him from fighting on horseback and beheading his enemies. This head is sometimes identified as Gallic because of his wild hair but may not necessarily be so.                                      

Denarius, M.Sergius Silus, 116-115 BCE, Rome mint, silver, weight 3.8gm, Obverse: Helmeted head of Roma right, EX-S-C before ROMA and XVI monogram behind, Reverse: Helmeted horseman on rearing horse left, holding sword and severed head in left hand, Q below horse's forelegs M. SERGI below.

Several Republican coins depicted battle scenes, though very few as fierce as this one. About two hundred years later, heads were carried in a different way on coins. 

The next two coins show Aeternitas, the Roman divine personification of eternity. These coins are Denarius of Traajan from 111 AD and a denarius of Trajan his successor, from 119-122 AD. In one hand, Aeternitas holds the head of Sol, indicated by radiating sun rays. In the other is the head of Luna, indicated by the moon. This can be read as eternity holding the sun and moon in her hands, because she embodies the whole of time, and controls both day and night.                                     

                                       

Denarius, Trajan, 98-117 AD, Rome mint, silver, weight 3.4 gm, Obverse: Laureate bust right, drapery on left shoulder, Reverse: Aeternitas standing facing heads of Sol in right hand and Luna in left hand,  

                                           

                                          

Denarius, Hadrian, 117-138 AD, Rome mint, silver, weight 3.3 gm, Obverse: Laureate bust right, drapery on left shoulder, Reverse: Aeternitas standing facing heads of Sol in right hand and Luna in left hand, both held at head height and facing inwards, so that Aeternitas is eye to eye with Sol.

After about 150 years, severed heads once again appeared on Roman coins. On a potin tetradrachm of Maximianus, the head of Serapis is being held by a personification of the city of Alexandria, where the coin was struck.  Serapis was created about 700 years before this coin was struck, by the first Ptolemy to make a bridge between the Egyptians and Hellenic inhabitants. This coin has a fusion of two cultures. The ''L'' is the year, and the Greek delta indicates the fourth year of Maximianus' reign.                      

                                      

Potin Tetradrachm, Maximianus, 286-305 AD, Alexandria mint, weight 7.7 gm, Obverse: Laureate draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind, Reverse: Alexandria standing left, wearing close fitted cap surmounted by three turrets, long chiton and peplos holding out on her right hand the bust of Serapis crowned with a kalathos and wearing a himation, facing towards her, holding a scepter in her left hand, behind field marks, L in left and delta (regnal year 4) in right.

A few years later, a group of coins with closely related symbology was struck by Maximinus II Daia, an Emperor of the Tetrarchy around 311 and 312 AD. A silvered follis of Maximinus II from Nicomedia. The main figure on these coins is Sol, wearing his crown of rays. The head he is holding is that of Serapis. These heads show a little neck, and they probably depict a bust.  

                                       

Billon follis, Maximinus II, Caesar 305-308AD, Augustus 309-313 AD, Antioch mint, weight 4.9 gm, Obverse: Laureate head right. Reverse: Genius naked but for chlamys fastened at his right shoulder and hanging from his left shoulder, standing facing, head left, wearing modius, holding head of Sol in right hand and ornate cornucopia in left hand. Field marks, star at left field, Z in right.                                 

                                         

Billon follis, Maximinus, 305-308 AD, Nicomedia mint, Obverse: laureate head to right, Reverse: Sol wearing ornate robes standing half left, right hand raised, left hand holding head of Serapis behind at waist level, field marks, star above delta in left field.     

                                         

 Billon follis of Constantine the Great, Caesar,93-306 AD, Antioch mint, weight 4.7 gm, Obverse: Laureate head right, Reverse: Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over shoulder, holding head of Sol in right and ornate and cornucopia in left. Field marks Star in left field, AI in right field.                                

                                           

Billon follis of Constantine the Great, Caesar 293-306 AD, Antioch mint, weight 4.7 gm, Obverse: Laureate head right, Reverse: Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over shoulder, holding head of Sol in right and ornate and cornucopia in left. Field marks Star above N above branch angled to left, B in right field.

Courtesy: Forum Ancient Coins

Arakan and Coins

 

Arakan is the historical geographical name of Rakhine State, Myanmar (formerly Burma). The region was called Arakan for centuries until the Burmese military junta changed its name in 1989. Arakan's first states can be traced to the 4th century. Due to evidence of Sanskrit inscriptions found in the region, it is believed that the first Arakanese state flourished between the 4th and 6th centuries.

                       

One Tankah, Thamaada Raza, 1783 AD, Kingdom of Arakan

                       

                          Bengal and Arakan in 1638.
  

Arakan is a coastal geographic region in Lower Burma. It comprises a long narrow strip of land along the eastern seaboard of the Bay of Bengal and stretches from the Naf River estuary on the border of Chittagong Hill area (in Bangladesh) in the north to the Gwa River in the South. It is about 640 km long and 145 km wide at its broadest. Arakan was inhabited by the Rakhine since 3000 BC.

                        

Arakan lies on the west coast of Burma facing Bay of Bengal.

The Burmese do not seem to have settled in Arakan until possibly as late as the 10th century AD.                

Arakan came under strong influence of the Ganges delta and was the first regions in Southeast Asia to adopt Dharmic religions. Buddhists from the Mauryan Empire travelled through Arakan to other parts of Southeast Asia. It was home to the sacred Mahamuni sculpture of Buddha, which was later transferred to Mandalay by the Burmese conquerors in the 18th century. For 356 years between 1428 and 1784, Arakan was ruled by the Kingdom of Mrauk U from the city of Mrauk U. The kingdom was founded as a vassal state of the Bengal Sultanate.

                         

                          17th century, Mraul U
 

It later asserted independence and adopted the customs of the Bengal Sultanate, including Muslim titles for its kings. Arakan became home to an ethnically and religiously diverse population, with Buddhists making up the majority and Muslims making up the second largest community. 

                         

   Arakan under the Bengal Sultanate in 15th century

                      

Arakan Division was part of British India and fell under British rule in Burma. The Burmese Empire ceded Arakan to the British East India Company in the 1826 Treaty of Yandabo. 

                         

The Mrauk Kingdom in the 17th century.

                        

The Burmese Empire in 1824 covering Arakan.

During World War II, several Arakan Campaigns were conducted by Allied forces against the Japanese as part of the Burma Campaign.

                           

Allied forces crossing a river during the Third Arakan Campaign in 1945.

After Burma became independent in 1948, Arakan saw a movement for autonomy. In 1974, a discriminatory citizenship law was enacted. In 1982, most Arakanese Muslims were stripped of citizenship. A segregated system of citizenship was introduced by Burma's military rulers. Both Arakanese Buddhists and Muslims experienced growing nationalism, including hopes for self-rule. After Burma's controversial citizenship law in 1974, the Buddhists became known as Rakhines and the Muslims became known as Rohingya. The region was the site of the Rohingya genocide in 2016 and 2017.  

Coins of Arakan

                         

Arakan Kingdom, One Tankah, Thado, AH 1007, AD 1646, silver, weight 7.2 gm,

                          

Arakan Kingdom, One Tankah, Sanda Thudhamma, AH 1014, AD 1653, silver, weight 10 gm,

                         

Arakan Kingdom, One Tankah, Sanda Thudhamma, AH 1014, AD 1653, silver, weight 9.3 gm,                      

Arakan Kingdom, One Tankah, Maha Thamada Raza, AH 1144, AD 1783, silver, weight 10 gm, 

                          

Arakan Kingdom, One Tankah, Bodawpaya, AH 1146, AD 1784, silver, weight 10.5 gm, Obverse: 4-ine Arakanese legend, lettering 1146, Amarapura, Hsin Byu Mya,Shin Naing Ngan

                         

Arakan Kingdom, One Tankah, Thirudhamma Raja, 1634 AD, silver, weight 10.2 gm

                           

Arakan, Bengal, 486-475, Zinc, weight 11.6 gm, Dia 31.8 mm

                         

Arakan Rajas, Chittagong coinage, One Tanka, silver, in the name of Islam Shah, dated Buddhist Era 959, weight 10 gm, Obverse: Arakanese inscription in three lines, date on top, Reverse: Shahada in Arabic and Bengali, legend Sri Sri Ichalama Saha. 

Arakan

Coins of Arakan